HEART DISEASE and OBESITY Cardiovascular disease can take many forms: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, or rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease. In the United States, more than 80 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. About 2400 people die every day of cardiovascular disease. Cancer, the second largest killer, accounts for a little more than half as many deaths. Coronary artery disease, the most common form of cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of death in America today. But thanks to many studies involving thousands of patients, researchers have found certain factors that play an important role in a person's chances of developing heart disease. These are called risk factors. Risk factors are divided into two categories: major and contributing. Major risk factors are those that have been proven to increase your risk of heart disease. Contributing risk factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, but their exact role has not been defined. The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. Some risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified, and some cannot. But by controlling as many risk factors as possible through lifestyle changes, medicines, or both, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. OBESITY Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. This is alarming when you consider that 1 out of every 3 Americans is obese. Recent studies have shown that obesity is linked to 110,000 deaths in the United States each year. What is obesity? Our bodies are made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Obesity means that you have too much body fat. The size of your waistline is one way to estimate body fat. A high-risk waistline is more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men. Another way to measure obesity is body mass index (BMI), which is a formula of weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (BMI =kg/m2). What causes obesity? For some people, the cause of obesity is quite simple: they are eating more calories than they are burning during exercise and daily life. Other causes of obesity may include:
Genetics. Obesity tends to run in families.
Aging. As you get older, your body cannot burn energy as quickly, and you do not need as many calories to maintain your weight.
Gender. Men burn more energy at rest than women do, so men need more calories to maintain their body weight.
Environment and eating habits. Fast-food restaurants and high-fat, high-cholesterol junk foods have become a main part of the American diet.
Lack of physical activity. People who eat a lot but do not exercise are more likely to be obese.
Pregnancy. Although most women only weigh a few pounds more a year after giving birth, 15% of pregnant women add 20 pounds with each pregnancy.
Childhood obesity. Children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults.
Illness. Some illnesses can cause obesity. These include hormone problems such as an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), depression, and some rare diseases of the brain.
Medicines. Steroids and some antidepressants may cause weight gain.
Eating disorders. Binge eating and night-eating disorders account for as many as 10% to 20% of people who seek treatment for obesity.
What are the risks of being obese? Extra body fat increases the risk of health problems, especially heart disease and stroke. Obesity can also:
Raise LDL ("bad cholesterol") and triglyceride levels.
Lower HDL or "good cholesterol" levels.
Raise blood pressure.
Cause diabetes.
Increase the risk of adult-onset asthma and other breathing problems.
Increase the risk of certain kinds of cancers, including endometrial cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.
Even if you do not have any other risk factors, obesity by itself increases your risk of heart disease. It also harms more than just your heart and blood vessels. Excess weight is very hard on your bones, joints, and muscles. It can also lead to gallstones. How many calories do teenagers need? Young people need lots of energy and nutrients because they're still growing.
These are estimates of the average amount of energy young people of different ages need. Energy is measured in calories (kcal).
Boys aged 11 to 14 need about 2,220 calories a day.
Girls aged 11 to 14 need about 1,845 calories a day.
Young men aged 15 to 18 need about 2,755 calories a day.
Young women aged 15 to 18 need about 2,110 calories a day.
But remember these figures are only a guide, and young people might need more or less than these estimates, depending on a number of things, such as how physically active they are.
Young people often have big appetites, so it's important for them to have a healthy balanced diet, rather than filling up on sugary or fatty foods, such as crisps, sweets, cakes, biscuits, and fizzy drinks. These foods tend to be high in calories but contain few nutrients, and they can also reduce appetite for healthier foods.
A healthy balanced diet should include:
plenty of fruit and vegetables – aim for at least five portions a day of a variety of different types
meals based on starchy foods, such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes (ideally brown, wholemeal or wholegrain varieties)
moderate amounts of milk and dairy products – choose low-fat options where you can
moderate amounts of foods that are good sources of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils
Cardiovascular disease can take many forms: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, or rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease. In the United States, more than 80 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. About 2400 people die every day of cardiovascular disease. Cancer, the second largest killer, accounts for a little more than half as many deaths.
Coronary artery disease, the most common form of cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of death in America today. But thanks to many studies involving thousands of patients, researchers have found certain factors that play an important role in a person's chances of developing heart disease. These are called risk factors.
Risk factors are divided into two categories: major and contributing. Major risk factors are those that have been proven to increase your risk of heart disease. Contributing risk factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, but their exact role has not been defined.
The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. Some risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified, and some cannot. But by controlling as many risk factors as possible through lifestyle changes, medicines, or both, you can reduce your risk of heart disease.
OBESITY
Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. This is alarming when you consider that 1 out of every 3 Americans is obese. Recent studies have shown that obesity is linked to 110,000 deaths in the United States each year.
What is obesity?
Our bodies are made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Obesity means that you have too much body fat.
The size of your waistline is one way to estimate body fat. A high-risk waistline is more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men. Another way to measure obesity is body mass index (BMI), which is a formula of weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (BMI =kg/m2).
What causes obesity?
For some people, the cause of obesity is quite simple: they are eating more calories than they are burning during exercise and daily life. Other causes of obesity may include:
- Genetics. Obesity tends to run in families.
- Aging. As you get older, your body cannot burn energy as quickly, and you do not need as many calories to maintain your weight.
- Gender. Men burn more energy at rest than women do, so men need more calories to maintain their body weight.
- Environment and eating habits. Fast-food restaurants and high-fat, high-cholesterol junk foods have become a main part of the American diet.
- Lack of physical activity. People who eat a lot but do not exercise are more likely to be obese.
- Pregnancy. Although most women only weigh a few pounds more a year after giving birth, 15% of pregnant women add 20 pounds with each pregnancy.
- Childhood obesity. Children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults.
- Illness. Some illnesses can cause obesity. These include hormone problems such as an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), depression, and some rare diseases of the brain.
- Medicines. Steroids and some antidepressants may cause weight gain.
- Eating disorders. Binge eating and night-eating disorders account for as many as 10% to 20% of people who seek treatment for obesity.
What are the risks of being obese?Extra body fat increases the risk of health problems, especially heart disease and stroke. Obesity can also:
- Raise LDL ("bad cholesterol") and triglyceride levels.
- Lower HDL or "good cholesterol" levels.
- Raise blood pressure.
- Cause diabetes.
- Increase the risk of adult-onset asthma and other breathing problems.
- Increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Increase the risk of certain kinds of cancers, including endometrial cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.
Even if you do not have any other risk factors, obesity by itself increases your risk of heart disease. It also harms more than just your heart and blood vessels. Excess weight is very hard on your bones, joints, and muscles. It can also lead to gallstones.How many calories do teenagers need?
Young people need lots of energy and nutrients because they're still growing.
These are estimates of the average amount of energy young people of different ages need. Energy is measured in calories (kcal).
But remember these figures are only a guide, and young people might need more or less than these estimates, depending on a number of things, such as how physically active they are.
Young people often have big appetites, so it's important for them to have a healthy balanced diet, rather than filling up on sugary or fatty foods, such as crisps, sweets, cakes, biscuits, and fizzy drinks. These foods tend to be high in calories but contain few nutrients, and they can also reduce appetite for healthier foods.
A healthy balanced diet should include: